Adblock detected. Please consider whitelisting this site or donating to help keep the translation going. Thank you. :)

Shikkaku Mon no Saikyou Kenja Chapter 219


Chapter 219 Strongest Sage, Successfully Snuck In

 

『This is a piece of magic tool, isn't it? Maybe it's a piece from the one attached to that box?』

『...Looks like it.』

I analyze the magic circle inside the piece.
Only a few parts could be read as it's only a fragment... but this was a part of the box's magic tool no doubt about it.

『Which means, we can find out where the dolls come from if we collect this right?』

『Yeah. We might find out where in the river were the dolls set afloat... but even if we did find the location, there's a high chance that place is also a disposable one, so no guarantee we would find the demons there.』

『Disposable... How can you be so sure?』

『The size of this box. At most, there would be 10 dolls inside. Weighed at around 1 ton... Just enough to be carried on a wagon, there's even the clasp.』

I point at metal fittings on the edge of the box.

These are fasteners to prevent something falling out of a wagon.
These things wouldn't be needed if the demons carried the boxes themselves.

In the current world, carrying 1 ton of luggage per wagon is optimal.
Any more and the wheels would sink in, making it harder to transport, any less and it would be a waste to not carry more.

『You figured out that much just from looking at the box.... Then there'd be no point in collecting these pieces.』

Ruli looks at the piece in disappointment.
However, it's not completely meaningless.

『No, we can use it as a last resort. Even if the people who transported the dolls are disposable, we can still ask them where they got the dolls from and go from there to trace the demons.』

『Last resort... You mean, there's a more efficient way to find the demons?』

Alma asked me.
Nice deduction.

『Exactly... Specifically, the source of life forces. There's not many ways to collect mana from tens thousands of people. I've got an idea about it already... But let's save that until after we get in the empire. We're on top of a river separating national borders right now.』

『I forgot!』

Alma started to run toward the other side of the river bank in a hurry.
Even if this place lacks surveillance, stopping for a long time on top of a river with a good view would still risk us getting discovered by the enemy.

If a soldier simply passed by the path next to the river, they'd see us.
...Well, I'm constantly looking out for any suspicious mana reaction close to us, so it's not actually a problem.

Thus we managed to slip through the imperial soldier's surveillance network, and arrived at Saihill Empire.

『I can see a town... But I don't see anything like an outer wall around it?』
<TLN: If you're reading this novel at any other site than Sousetsuka .com you might be reading an unedited, uncorrected version of the novel.>
『It's a town in a rural area after all. I think it's called Ecial or something.』

I approach the town.
Currently, we're using magic to trick people's eyes, so they won't find us.

...If we're up against demons, they would instantly see through this level of camouflage... but they're probably not around these parts.
After all, it feels like this entire town is treated like a disposable tool.

While thinking that, we managed to get into the town.

『Will this camouflage do the job all right?』

『Considering the atmosphere here, no one would notice us unless we open the door to their house.』

The magic we're using erased our presence, but it did not apply to the presence of things around us.
Thus, if we open a door or something, it would look like the door opened by itself without anyone around.

Aside from that, vibrations and air flows produced from us stepping the ground and moving would still be there, so someone skilled enough could still notice us... but well, I don't sense anyone that good around here.

The stuff about war seem to not have been circulated among the civilians, atmosphere in the town feels laid-back.
...If Eis Kingdom launched a counteroffensive, this town would be the very first to fall victim, and the people here probably are not informed even that.

『Monster Outbreak Warning?』

While we were walking around the town, Alma looked at a paper posted on a private house and made a puzzled voice.
Here's what written on the paper.

――――――――――
Presently we have acquired information about outbreak of monsters around Ecial.
Knights of Kinisis House have been dispatched to exterminate these monsters, civilians are to refrain from going outside the town as much as possible.
The parts around Eis Kingdom are especially highly dangerous, citizens are barred from entering.
――――――――――

『...Wait, were there monsters in the area around Eis Kingdom?』

『There were, but not in great numbers... It's undoubtedly a pretext to deploy this 『Knights of Kinisis House』.』

Looks like the ploy even extends to the knights.
I have no idea about this 『Knights of Kinisis House』, but judging from the name, it's probably a band of knights that belongs to an empire's noble.

That noble must be cooperating with the demons.
Not sure if they're being used unknowingly or knowingly, either way, we should assume that this Kinisis House is hostile.

While thinking such, the four of us walked around the town while collected information (mainly mana reactions and stuff).
The dollmaster seems to be quite careless, we gathered some interesting important magical info.

And about 30 minutes after we entered the town.

『We've got enough. Let's go storming in there.』

『Err, to the blue warehouse in the suburbs right?』

『I think that was way too obvious, maybe it's a trap?』

Alma and Ruli asked me when I said that.
This blue warehouse is exactly the place we're going to raid, but I never actually mentioned anything about it while we were walking around the town.

Ruli is one thing, but the mana camouflage on this blue warehouse is so bad that even Alma who's not that familiar with magic tools noticed.
...Or rather, feels like they never have any intention to hide it.






Previous Chapter

Death March kara Hajimaru Isekai Kyousoukyoku 16-70

16-70. Saga Empire, Battle at the Imperial Capital (3)

 

"Fuu-han, Fuu-han--"

Hero Fuu who was summoned to Saga Empire's audience hall by his attendant looked around for the source of a voice with a familiar tone calling his name.

"Fuu-han, everybody's gonna get suspicious of ya if ya keep fidgeting round and round like that."

Hero Fuu turned around when someone clapped his shoulder.

"--Eh?"

The one standing there was not a small man he expected to be, but a young man in chamberlain attires.
Appraisal skill given to Hero Fuu by god Parion informed him that this young man is a homonculus.

"Oh this thing, 's what they call messenger boy y'see."

The young man took a pocket watch out of his pocket breast while speaking in a voice that belied his face.

"--Japan made?"
"Yeap, an acquaintance of mine imported this from Weasel Empire, see."

The homonculus replied to Hero Fuu who noticed [MADE IN JAPAN] word engraved on the back of the pocket watch.

"In 10 minutes, right at 12 o'clock, the barrier will loosen up for an instant. Use that chance to ask Ramiko-han's help 'k."

The homonculus clapped Hero Fuu's shoulder as he walked passed by him toward his back.

"How did you know about Ramiko-san--"

The homonculus was nowhere to be seen when Hero Fuu turned around.



"The demon lord's head regenerated into a goat's!"

Shouts from people in the audience room reached Hero Fuu's ears as he looked around at the surroundings.
The demon lord's head that should have been lost by a shot from mysterious sniper has regenerated.

"Goat head, but isn't it a vampire? Sabbath? What does that mean?"

Flustered voice of Hero Seigi could be heard too.
Both the ministers and the heroes were thrown into confusion.

"Quiet down, Seigi. I'm gonna roast this demon lord up, come with me."
"Hold on, Yuuki, don't pull my hand. Aren't you gonna take Fuu too?"
"--Fuu? Nah, not that guy."

Hero Yuuki's words stabbed Fuu's heart.
Due to that, the continuation from Hero Yuuki , "That guy hardly ever attended the practice. He's gonna get hurt real bad if we take him with us" never reached his ears.

The future might take a different turn had Hero Fuu actually heard those words.







"Fetch everything! Anything to hold down the door!"

A knight in black armor shouted as he held down a huge door leading out of a chapel.
Around ten soldiers were holding down the door along with the black knight, their foots floated up whenever the door got knocked hard as they desperately held down the door.

Behind them, orphaned children from a joint establishment of the temple, and apprentice priestess who take care of these children are looking at them with terrified expressions.

"Parion-sama, please give your protection to these courageous knights--"

When an apprentice priestess girl offered her prayers to god, the other apprentices and orphans started to go along with her in desperation.

However, the world is ruthless.

The bulky door let out a creaking sound, and then a red eye peek from the crack.
The knights and some of the soldiers spat out curses, while the majority of people here screamed.

The mouth that was peeking from the door warped into a sneer.

The red eye disappeared from the crack, and right when everyone breathed a sigh of relief--.

BOOM--with a roaring sound, the bulky door got blown away along with the black knight and soldiers.
A Vampire Knight with hunched back showed up.

Its eyes looking for prey stare at the apprentice priestesses next to the orphan children one by one.
The Vampire Knight's tongue squirmed like that of a snake, its red eyes and split mouth formed crescent shapes.

The Vampire Knight slowly steps forward as if to fulfill its sadistic heart.

"You shall not pass! So long as I wear this Black Steel Armor granted by his majesty, my knees shall never yield before evil spirits!"

The black knight stood up, drew a sword hanging on its waist, and stepped forward to block the Vampire Knight.

His sword is clad in red light, the light produces another blade on top of the sword itself.

"--That's Magic Edge!"

One of the orphan kids shouted, hope dwelt in other kids' eyes.

"Here I come, you knave!"

The black knight rushed out toward the Vampire Knight at a speed belying his heavy armor and swung his sword with a great force while leaving trails of red light behind.
The orphan kids and soldiers cheered, a scene depicting the black knight's victory played in their eyes.

However, the world is ruthless--.

After a fierce clash, the one that fell down in pool of blood along with a thunderous sound was the black knight instead.
The Vampire Knight slowly stepped toward the black knight while sneering 'kisha kisha'.

"L-level 50?"

One of the apprentices with Appraisal skill noticed that fact.

Only heroes and select few transcendental beings reached this height, a domain reserved for heroes and devils.
No matter how capable Saga Empire's black knights are, they are still within the confine of the domain of men.

"I, won't, let you."

The black knight stood up.

Even after losing one of his arms, with blood all over his body, he keeps standing up to show his back on those whom he must protect.
Soldiers who saw the very model of a knight in him whipped their trembling legs and formed a meat wall in front of the people.

The Vampire Knight who was fighting bare handed before turned the nails on both its hands red, and stretched them out into ten blades.
The Vampire Knight licked one of the blades, smiling sadistically.

While sensing that this battle would be his last, the black knight produced magic edge on his sword.

--VWOUNPWEELE.

The Vampire Knight hazed out and showed up in front of the black knight.
The black knight managed to block the ten blades' assault twice before his sword broke on the third clash.

"My sword may break, but my knight heart shall never shatter. That's the creed of my family."

The Vampire Knight sneered 'kisha kisha' at the black knight's words that sounded more like a self-persuasion.

――VWOUNPWEELE。

The Vampire Knight roared.

――VWOUNPWEELE。
――VWOUNPWEELE。

Two roars echoed back, and two black shadows appeared from the entrance that had lost its door.

"You're shittin' me..."
"Why can't these reinforcement be on our side..."

The soldiers let out tearful voices and curses.

The black knight silently gripped his broken sword.

"--Hero-sama."

From whose mouth that word escaped out exactly.

Was it god's mercy that no one here noticed the irony that the Vampire Knights going after them were created by one of those heroes himself--.

The response to that were a tremor that shook the whole chapel up and innumerable claws that pierced through the chapel's thick walls.

"Kisha?"

The Vampire Knight looked up at the passage window on the second floor of the now drafty chapel.

"TOU, nanodesu!"

A small shadow smashed through the window and landed in the chapel.

"Golden Knight Yellow makes her entrance, nanodesu!"

It was a small hero covered in golden armor striking the shupit pose.

――VWOUNPWEELE.

The Vampire Knight hazed out and drew closer to the golden knight.
A similar scene like the fight with the black knight earlier played out, but this one had some differences.

The ten blades brandished by the Vampire Knight were broken into pieces by the white sword wielded by the golden knight, the blood breath that could melt even rocks couldn't even manage to burn her yellow mantle, dispersing into floor instead.

――VWOUNPWEELE。
――VWOUNPWEELE。

The remaining two Vampire Knights ignored the golden knight and rushed toward the civilians instead.
The black knight attempted to stand in their way, but he has no strength left in his arm and legs.

The soldiers went ahead to protect the black knight, but they were blown away by one swing of the Vampire Knight, rolling on the ground like barrels.

The Vampire Knight swung down a killing blow at the black knight.

"""KNIGHT-SAMA!"""

The apprentices closed their eyes, fearing the worst.

"Chicchicchi, nanodesu. You shall not carry out a honey nose act in the presence of Dog Hero -- nodesuyo."

The apprentice priestesses opened their eyes to hear that somewhat silly voice.
The golden knight was shaking her finger as she stood in front of the black knight, protecting him.

If her master was present here, he might have corrected her to use [heinous] instead of [honey nose], but no one in this place could afford such right now.

Additionally, the [Pochi] part after the 'Dog Hero' part was overwritten with an electronic buzz sound produced by the golden armor's support AI.

"Aah! You can't run away nanodesuyo!"

The Vampire Knights that had realized the disadvantageous situation they were in scrambled for chapel's entrance.
The golden knight caught up to them with Flickering Step, cut apart one of the Vampire Knight like zunbararin, and dealt with the the other one using her charge forward finisher.

The last one barely escaped her pursuit and went outside the chapel.

"You won't get away nodesu!"

The golden knight stopped her rushed for the entrance.
The Vampire Knight that should have run away went back into the chapel, looking frightened of something.

Its 'kisha kisha' laugh disappeared as it stared outside the chapel in fear.

――VWOUNPWEELE。

Blood overflowing out of the Vampire Knight's body turned into dark red armor, a lance and a knight shield of the same color materialized in its hands. The Vampire Knight had entered into maximum battle mode in a short amount of time.

A white blade sprouted of its back.

The lance and shield that had just been materialized fell down as liquid, the Vampire Knight itself disappeared into ash.
At the opposite side, a golden knight holding a dragon spear stood unassumingly.

"『Golden Knight Orange』 nanodesu!"

Golden Knight Yellow's careless remark got overwritten with a recorded audio provided by the golden knight's support AI.

"Yellow, let me ride on Lyuryu. We'll close in on the demon lord from the sky."
"Yes nanodesu. But, it'd be bad if we don't give medicines to the knight person first nanodesuyo?"
"No need to worry about that."

Golden Knight Orange turned her face toward the black knight.
A ninja wearing a cat mask that appeared out of nowhere was already treating the black knight and other injured people with gauze rolls on green ground.

"As expected of -- nanodesu."
"We should hurry."
"Roger nanodesu. Lyuryu, come on, nanodesu!"

The two golden knights that went out of the chapel got wrapped in huge hands covered in white scales and disappeared beyond.
The people who finally noticed their life had been saved uttered words of gratitudes and prayers.


<TLN: If you're reading this novel at any other site than Sousetsuka .com you might be reading an unedited, uncorrected version of the novel.>




"Ain't it too big?"

Hero Yuuki who had got on one of the fortress towers murmured as he looked up at the goat-headed demon lord clinging on the castle walls.
Hero Seigi, four black knights and two casters are present next to him, acting as supports.
The attendants who summoned these heroes to the audience hall are not suited for battle, thus they're not here.

"It sure is.... Well, that demon lord at Holy Land Parion was huge too, but your magic will take care of it, right Yuuki."
"You say that like it's so easy."

In addition to Hero Yuuki's Unique Skills strengthening his magic, he also took a magic potion that boosts magic which his attendant, Michael aka Mieka forced on him.

"Inferno"

Fire magic advance spell that had been strengthened to double its power exploded on the demon lord.

Flames filled the castle, turning the beautiful gardens and luxurious interiors into ashes.
The heat that could even melt rocks carbonized the demon lord's body.

"Yippee! It's working! Yuuki, do that again, again!"
"That just now has a cooldown time, so I gotta wait."
"What, it's useless. You a single cartridge gun or something."
"I don't want to hear that from you specifically."

Hero Yuuki and Hero Seigi got into a quarrel despite the situation they were at.

"Hero-sama!"

One of the black knights that came with them as guards warned.
Looking up, the demon lord appeared to be inhaling greatly.

Not sure what it is, but the demon lord is clearly trying to attack back.

"Oh crap"
"You guys, run!"

Hero Seigi jumped off the tower using Flight Shoes, Hero Yuuki followed after him slightly later.
A moment later, a dark red breath enwrapped the tower they were on before it got blown away by the shockwaves, melting the remaining foundation.

"Geh, it's coming here. So fast!"
"W-within my calculation!"
"Then, what's your best bet?! Surely you got one!"
"I wouldn't be running away if I did!"
"You're useless!"
"I'm telling you, battling is outside of my specialty."

The demon lord went after the heroes while smashing apart castle walls, towers and other facilities inside the castle.
The fact that it couldn't catch up to the heroes due to the defensive ramps and walls seemed to make it quite irritated, it pulled out one of the towers, and hurled it at the heroes.

"Uwaa"
"Geh--Quick Burst."

Hero Yuuki used Explosion Magic instead of his specialty fire magic, blowing apart the incoming tower.

"Ouch ow ow, Yuuki you moron! You're making splinters flying here using explosion magic you're not good at!"

Seigi shouted and cursed as he got hit by small splinters.

"Shut up! Better than eating a flying tower in the face!"

The demon lord drew nearer behind Hero Yuuki as he snapped back.

"All right, Recast Time is over--Inferno"

With the second flame, the demon lord's arms got carbonized before crumbling down.

"We did it! You're awesome Yuuki--agh, it's regenerating! It went and regenerated!"

Seeing the arms that should have been carbonized returned to original form, Hero Seigi screamed.

"This is bad."
"I don't wanna hear it, but what is!"

Hero Seigi asked as they resumed their escape.

"Burned through 10% of my mana."
"A-and your magic potion?"
"With Michael."
"You idiot, why aren't you carrying them with you!"

Hero Seigi took a bag with magic potion inside from his Inventory.

"--Geh."

The heroes dodged in a hurry.
The demon lord's arm missed them by a hair's breadth.

"Uwawawawa"

Bottles of magic potions fell out of the opened bag, Hero Seigi frantically juggled the last one.

"What are you doing, Seigi!"

The last bottle that escaped out Hero Seigi's finger toward the ground was snatched by Hero Yuuki from the side.
Right when he was going to open the bottle's lid, one of the splinters unluckily flew toward it breaking the earthenware bottle.

"You doofus!"

Hero Seigi booed at Hero Yuuki who stared at the broken bottle in disbelief.

"I don't wanna hear that from you Seigi!"

The two continued to flee even while quarrellings.

"Noo, it's over! It's catching up to uuuus~"
"If you've got time to talk, you've got time to beat it with you Unique Skill, Seigi."
"Can't do that while moving this much!"

Reached out arms of the demon lord approached the heroes in an attempt to seize them.
The heroes barely managed to dodge the fingertips by stopping them with magic, but they were gradually cornered.

Right when they were about to give up as the fingers were coming for them from both sides, the fingers abruptly got pulled backward.
The two looked back and saw the demon lord tripping on one of the towers.

They got out of this alive, saved by coincidental terrain.

"Sa-safe. Lady luck must be on my side."
"Luck? Then I'm gonna leave the rest to you, Lucky Boy."

Hero Yuuki speeded himself up with wind magic.

"Wha, that's unfair, Yuuki!"

Right above the complaining Hero Seigi, the demon lord flew over him with a long jump.
The demon lord ahead turned around and spread its arms wide as if to block Hero Seigi.

"It's all oveeeeeeeeeer"

Hero Seigi screamed out in despair.

The next moment, cloud of dust whirled up around the demon lord.
Glittering utility pole-sized spears rained down on the demon lord, stitching it on a nearby fort.

One figure descended down from the sky.

"Purple hair? --Is that Shiga Kingdom's Hero Nanashi?"

Hero Yuuki stopped running and looked up at the figure, Hero Seigi who just had a close call also looked up at his savior while catching his breath.

The figure--Hikaru restrained the demon lord on the ground with glittering lights.
She kicked the air and landed near the heroes.

"You all right? Boys--"

Dazzling lights wrapped the heroes.

"T-this is?"
"Buff magic?"
"I'm being generous here. It's a reward for you hard-working boys."

Right when the buff magic had done its magic, the demon lord broke apart its restrain and moved again.

"Weird, no? It's a vampire yet it didn't try to escape by turning into mist..."
"More importantly! That attack magic earlier! Shoot it, quick."

Hero Yuuki haughtily gave an order.

"Geez! Don't forget honorifics when you're talking to your elders."
"Forget about that! It's coming! The demon lord is coming!"

Hero Seigi pleaded frantically.

"I mean, I'm not that good at attack magic."
"Who cares, just do it!"
"Nn, it's okay."
"Uwaaaaaa, it's hereeee"

Hero Seigi ran away as fast as possible in the face of the castle-breaking incoming demon lord's intense force.

"It's okay. Look--"







"The other two heroes are fighting out there, and all you do is just trembling over here!"

Hero Fuu who had missed his chance to get away from the audience hall was being overbearingly reproached by a young nobleman who was supposed to be his attendant.
Other ministers who noticed that began to take part in verbally abusing Hero Fuu.

(Weren't you guys that called me here. I never asked you to bring me here.)

Hero Fuu could only look downward in silent, but he was rebutting them furiously in his mind.

"You failure of a hero!"

(And you guys are failure of attendants.)

"Even Hero Yamato who was called a failed hero managed to defeat [Golden Wild Boar King] and founded Shiga Kingdom, but look at you, you truly are a failure."

(Shut up, you useless ministers.)

"Are you frustrated, then fight!"
"It's useless. Like this coward has any backbone."
"You botched hero who can do nothing but hanging your head in silent!"

(So these are the people who have been summoning, no, kidnapping heroes for generations...)

The ministers and hero Fuu reciprocally derided each other.

--Fuu. Hero Fuu.

The voice of a child reached Hero Fuu's ears.

--Open the eyes of these depraved foolish children.

Only Hero Fuu could hear that voice.

(That's right, goddess-sama asked me. I'll drop down the hammer of justice on this kidnappers' country, I'll bring them back to their sense.)

While ignoring the increasingly verbal abuses thrown at him by the ministers, Hero Fuu made his resolve.

"Ok, ok, I'll do it, I just have to do it right!"

Pretending to snap, Hero Fuu activated Flight Shoes, and jumped out of the window timidly.

"Who do you think you are talking to with your tone!"
"You third-rate who can't even use Flight Shoes well!"

The ministers laughed at his figure.

The emperor who was focusing on gathering mana from the empire's satellite cities to the capital paid no heed to these trivial matters, forever losing his only chance to prevent a catastrophe from happening.

Hero Fuu who somehow managed to learn to use Flight Shoes got far away from the audience hall.

"I managed to get out of the hall. One minute. That's the remainder of your lives."

Hero Fuu muttered while smiling darkly.







"Lyuryu, over there nanodesu!"

――LYURYURYUUU.

The white dragon made a nose dive when it reached the sky above the demon lord.

"We're going."
"Roger tha~t, nanodesu."

Two figures who leaped off the white dragon that was speeding like a cannon ball pierced through the demon lord.

――VWOUNPWEELE。

The demon lord screamed out unsightly.

――AZWOOOOOOOOWN。

A platinum beast rushed up from the horizon along with a gale and furiously bit off the demon lord, fiercely dragging it around and turning it into another wreckage in the castle.
The cloud of dust got swept away by the gale that enshrouded the platinum beast, revealing the figure of a divine beast.

The platinum wolf that made a short work of the demon lord suddenly thrust its fangs into the demon lord, and pulled a purple light--[God's Fragment] out of its body.

"Ooh, amazing."

Hikaru voiced her astonishment to see the platinum beast holding a [God's Fragment] in its mouth, whereas normal methods cannot even interfere with them.

Golden Knight Green--Mia who showed up riding the wind held up her small hand toward Hikaru and Hero Yuuki.

"V"

Apparently, that platinum beast was an artificial spirit Mia summoned.







"Arisa, done taking the civilians to safety, so I report."
"OK, well then, I'm closing the Teleport Gate."

Nana and Arisa had focused on helping civilians to take shelter while leaving all the flashy battles to other girls.

Lulu who's riding her Floating Fort drew near.

"Arisa, I've dealt with all the flying monsters."
"Thanks, Lulu-oneesama."
"Looks like Tama-chan has finished off all the small monsters the scout drones found all over the places."
"Nothing less to expect from Cat Ninja Tama."

Arisa and Lulu broke a smile without warning.

"--Ah."

In the distant, the demon lord fell down.

『V』

Mia's voice reached the two through [Tactical Talk].

――AZWOOOOOOOOWN.

"Looks like they've beat the demon lord."

They saw the platinum beast's victory howl.

『This minor revision for fighting demon lords, the Lesser Fenrir is pretty nice.』
『Nn, great.』
『And, how's the demon lord?』
『It doesn't seem to be reviving. The Dark Purple light got sealed off in a Talisman that Saga Empire's heroes carry with them.』
『Oh my, that was quite anti-climatic.』

Arisa who heard report from Hikaru murmured in whisper, "Thought it would be a wee bit tougher when I heard it was a vampire demon lord."

"Starving~"

A Cat Ninja came out of shadow.
Not the split bodies wearing a cat mask, but the real one with the golden armor and all.

"Nyu~"

Sounds of an afternoon bell could be heard in the distance.

Looks like a Saga Empire's magic tool that acted as a time signal had rung.

"Nyu?"

Tama who was lazily flopping down stood up.
Her ears inside the golden helmet twitched, picking up small tremors shaking the ground.

"Arisa, it's time for the afternoon break, so I inform."
"Hmm right, let's just leave the remnant hunting to Saga Empire's folks--"

Arisa paused midway.

"Arisa?"

Nana knelt down and peered in on Arisa's face.

"Arisa, what's the matter, so I ask."
"Oh sorry sorry, master just contacted me through Familiar Link. He's having it hard over there too."

Arisa's smiling face suddenly froze by a sudden disastrous earthquake.
It appears that the crisis that befalls Saga Empire has just started.








※ Next update is planned for 11/4.







Previous Chapter

Shikkaku Mon no Saikyou Kenja Chapter 218

Chapter 218 Strongest Sage, Discovers Box

 

As we pressed onward while thinking that... mana reaction of humans came approaching.
Looks like there's an empire's patrol nearby.

『They're really patrolling the area...』

『Guess there would be one even this early in the morning...』

『Relaia Barondom has gathered enough forces to rout their dolls after all. It's only natural for them to be cautious.』

I look for a hole in the patrolling network.

Even if the network is spread wide, the other party are humans who cannot even use 『Passive Detection』.
And the patrol is intended to alert them about possible enemy army's advance, not to prevent intrusion.

Outsmarting this degree of network is no big deal.
If I'm to be brutally honest, we could even go pass under the lookout's nose if we just concealed ourselves with stealth magic.

But in order to minimize the risk of getting found, I opt for going through a hole in the surveillance network instead.
I mean our opponent has kindly provided a network full of holes themselves, it'd be rude not to make use of those.

And the easiest hole to exploit among those is...

『This here.』

I point at a spot on the map I brought with us.
The spot is part of a river that separates Eis Kingdom from Saihill Empire.

『River... Won't we get easily found out since it's gonna have a good visibility. There's nothing for us to hide behind on top of the river right?』

『That would have been the case had the enemy done their homework, but it seems this place is outside their patrolling range. No one would see us even if we openly cross the river.』

『T-this network is quite haphazard...』
<TLN: If you're reading this novel at any other site than Sousetsuka .com you might be reading an unedited, uncorrected version of the novel.>
『Yeah. It's an evidence that the demons haven't been focusing on this territory.』

Crossing a river is a simple matter for us, but for some reason, chant magic has no mean to accomplish the feat.
Thus, rivers are principally being excluded when putting up a surveillance network in this world.

Saihill Empire apparently abides by that principle, there's barely any guards around rivers.
Of course, there are some mana reactions of what appear to be lookouts around shallow rivers that can be crossed on foot, but deeper rivers are mostly unguarded.

The way you go about setting up surveillance network is even influenced by whether chantless magic exists or not.
The demons would have taught these soldiers at least that much if they put any value on this region... but the demons must feel that this land is not that important enough to defend.

I don't find large-scale traps for intercepting an army either, those demons must be fully intending to discard this region when it comes to that point.
We headed to the river all the while.

『Uwah, there's really no one here...』

『I tried searching for mana reactions within one kilometer radius, and I couldn't find a soul...』

『Makes crossing all the easier... but this river looks usable in many ways.』

The river that separates Eis Kingdom and Saihill Empire is about 10 meter deep.
Even a mere river can be used in many ways when it's this deep.

『Many ways?』

『Yeah... Say, like this.』

I conjured up a spell and dived into the river.
And then I pulled the thing that was in the riverbed out of the water.

『What's... that thing? There's some kind of magic item attached to it...』

I pulled out a huge metallic box from the riverbed.
It's big enough to put 10 humans inside.

It's sturdy and relatively newly made, and though it's mostly undamaged, it's missing one of its corner.

『It's most definitely a box used to transport the dolls.』

『Transport the dolls?』

『Yea. They must have crammed around 10 dolls inside this box and floated it down the river. The magic item on this box is to prevent it from veering out of its set course.』

I took out the magic item attached on the box's side and showed it to Ruli.
Ruli has learned a lot about magic items, she's able to understand the content of this level of spell art just by looking.

『...Its basic configuration is that of an ordinary propulsion engine, isn't it... Its course correction procedure is peculiar. Is it getting instructions from another magic tool?』

『Yeah. The magic wiring over there is connected here. That part probably got blown away by a small explosion magic or something the moment this box arrived at its destination.』

I point at the missing corner of the box.

This part is probably missing not by coincidence.
It's possible to pinpoint where the dolls were shipped out if we could figure out instructions in the magic tool used for course correction.

Conversely, there is no way to find out where the box is from as long as that magic tool is properly taken care of.
This river has many branches so there are many possible locations where the boxes could be set afloat.

Finding exactly where the dolls from is not as simple as simply going upstream.

『Ah... Could that be?』

While I was observing the box, Ruli said that and dived into the river.
And then she came back with something she picked up in the riverbed.

『Found it!』

Ruli shouted cheerfully while drying her wet clothes with magic.
She's gripping a small splinter of magic stone in her hand.








Previous Chapter

Okami wa Nemuranai 2.11

11



When they went through the gate, the gatekeeper was surprised to see Marakis who had lost his right wrist, but the captain there allowed their entry.

Once they were inside Vouka town, Chaney went somewhere after dropping Lecan and Eda at an inn. He only showed up at the inn at noon the next day.

"I cannot tell you the details, but I made it in time. Both me and this town have gotten quite the boon. The criminals will get their just deserts. And I've been reinstated as a leading merchant that deals with the lord family."

"Good to hear. I shan't ask any more."

"Eeh? But I want to hear the full story."

"By the way, Lecan-san. You don't have your silver ring on you today."

"I just don't feel like it."

"Is that so."

There might be an ability similar to <Appraisal> in this world too. Needlessly putting nice equipment on yourself would only result in informing others of your cards, and inviting those who crave for it. Thus Lecan is not wearing the ring enchanted with <Abnormal Status Resistance> and <Poison Resistance> right now.

"Now then, mission accomplished. I will be paying your reward now. First of all, Eda-san."

Chaney put two silver coins on the desk.

"Eeeh? No way! My rewards should be five silver coins!"

Chaney looked at Eda-san with a slightly troubled look on his face, and then he finally speaks.

"Eda-san. Could you show me your Adventurer Badge?"

"Y-yeah. Sure thing."

After taking the silver piece of metal, Chaney first stared at its surface, and then its back.

"Hou. So your full name is Edidal, is it."

"T-that's right."

"It sounds like a man's name."

"'S why I grew up like this see."

"So you registered at town of Shoah."

"Yeah."

"I'm acquainted with all staff members of the Adventurer Association there. Who was in charge of your registration?"

"Eh? W-who knows. Forgot 'bout that ages ago."

"Is that so. By the way, according to this Adventurer Badge, your rank up to silver rank took place 18 years ago, how old are you right now?"

"I-I'm..."

Just when her hands that were put on her knees started to tremble, Eda suddenly stood up.

"Dangittttttt!"

Just as Eda was trying to run away while screaming, Lecan grabbed her left hand. Because her right hand snatched the silver coins on the desk.

"Sit down, Eda-san. Misrepresenting someone else's Adventurer Badge as your own is a felony you know."

"I-it's not someone else's. It's my dad's!"

"Trying to pass the adventurer badge as yours while you are not an adventurer yourself is a scam, a misrepresentation. In reality, you have not registered as one yet, have you? If I passed this info along, you would never be able to register. Adventurer associations everywhere, lords' houses and merchants everywhere are joined through vast networks of information, there's so much more info being passed around than you could ever imagine. Do not ever attempt to do this again. Understand?"

"...Ok ok I got it."

"Well then, go back to your room now. I will pay for your lodging and meal until tomorrow morning."
<TLN: If you're reading this novel at any other site than Sousetsuka .com you might be reading an unedited, uncorrected version of the novel.>
"T-thank ya."

Eda reluctantly went back to her room while repeatedly looking back so many times.

Chaney bowed deeply to Lecan.

"Lecan-san. Allow me to express my gratitude once again. Thank you. This is your reward."

He presented one gold coin.

"My rewards were supposed to be 10 silver coins. This is too much."

"No. If the job was done superbly, or the client obtained an unexpected huge gain, or if the request itself was far more dangerous and difficult than expected yet was finished despite all that, the client could, by their own judgment, increase the rewards given. This is the right amount of rewards for you. I'm truly, truly grateful. And another thing, when the client is willing to pay more than the amount in the contract, it has the implication that the client wishes to keep in touch with the adventurer in the future."

"Fumu. Well then, I shall accept it. I'd like to ask you one thing."

"Yes. What would it be."

"Please introduce me to a skilled apothecary."





[Episode 2 Escort Mission] complete/ Next [Episode 3 Apprenticeship Test]



Previous Chapter

Shikkaku Mon no Saikyou Kenja Chapter 217


Chapter 217 Strongest Sage, Deactivates Trap

 



Dawn of the next day.

The four of us went to a forest outside the town.
We're going to sneak into enemy territory now.

『We're finally starting the infiltration.』

『This is better than when we were infiltrating Folkia that was full of demons, but it's still unnerving isn't it...』

『When pushes comes to shoves, you all can get on me, I'll take us away!』

We check on the infiltration route while conversing.
All conversations are through comm magic. We can't let anyone overheard us after all.

Ruli and Alma appear to be a bit tense, but they're not being overwhelmed by it. That's a good disposition to have.
Iris doesn't look concerned at all... Well, it's Iris after all, she's going to be fine.

Infiltrating is best done at dawn like this.
This is the time when everyone drops their guard down the most.

Once we get in, things would go smoothly from there.
After all, no one would walk up to you and ask, 『Are you really from this country?』 if you're just randomly walking around.
And that's exactly why the empire's national borders must have stricter security right about now.

『Mathi-kun, do you think we could go from the front?』

『...At present, I don't see any problem. We'll be retreating if it looks like they'll find us out.』

『Yes!』

『Got it!』

I asked Alma as I probed for mana around the border.
Among detection magic, there are some that are hard to elude.

If I find a reaction of such magic in my search, I plan to take a detour around the area to enter the empire.
The empire's border around this area probably has the strictest security considering battles take place here.

...But ideally we'd want to go through here if we want to find the dollmaster.
That's why it's worth an attempt even with the strict security.

As we progressed the forest while thinking that, I found a large amount of footprints on the ground.
The shape of shoe soles and sizes are all identical.

Shoes being identical isn't that weird in military, but when they're all the same size, these are probably not of humans.
These footprints must have been left behind by dolls.

『It's dolls' footprints... Alright, we're going after these.』

『...Won't these footprints lead to a trap, you sure we can just follow them?』

『I'm aware of that. There must be a trap somewhere, but the surer you are about a trap's existence, the easier avoiding it be.』

I follow after the footprints.
Since the dolls are heavier than humans, their footprints also last longer thus tracing these is a simple matter.

『These footprints keep going on...』

『Why aren't these hidden at all? If you put barrier on top of the ground as you walk, it would greatly reduce the traces wouldn't it? I think you'd usually want to do that much at least...』

Indeed, it's strange for the footprints to be this defined.

It's as if they're telling us to follow the track.
When it's this obvious, it makes you more wary of traps instead.

The reason why these footprints still got left behind despite that risk...

『It's probably because they're incapable of doing that.』

『Incapable of... You mean camouflaging? They only need to put barrier on the ground right?』

『Considering these dolls' heavy weight, even putting up barriers that could be stepped on by them would require a certain level of magic usable by these dolls.』

『...Shouldn't the person who could control so many dolls also have enough mana to do that much...?』

『That's only if that person controls these dolls themselves. With magic items, it's not hard at all to do stuff like controlling dolls. If the orders are limited to simple stuff like 『Charge ahead』, even ordinary people can do it.』

I continue following the footprint.
About 10 minutes later.
<TLN: If you're reading this novel at any other site than Sousetsuka .com you might be reading an unedited, uncorrected version of the novel.>
『Isn't there a magic item buried over there?』

Ruli pointed at the ground dozens meter ahead.
...Correct.

『Yea, that's a trap. You three, wait there.』

I approached the trap afterward.
There's a magic item buried in the ground Ruli pointed out.
The magic item is buried 1 meter deep so it's not visible with naked eyes, but its mana reaction is quite obvious.

『Mathi-kun, is it ok to get that close? It's a trap right?』

『Wonder how big is the trap's range...』

『I'm already in the activation range. The detonator is using a modified version of 『Passive Detection』 so it won't be activated if I don't let my mana out.』

It's probably a trap that combines 『Passive Detection』 and explosion magic.
It's difficult to detect with the commonly used magic, yet has a relatively high performance, thus even in my previous life, this type of trap often got deployed.

I dug out a hole in the location of the magic item and took it out.
And then I covered it with another magic item that blocks out mana.

This type of magic items can be taken out without the risk of it exploding if you hold down your mana emission so it won't be detected by the 『Passive Detection』 set inside the item.

『Alright, it's clear now.』

『Got it! ...Is that the trap the enemy set up there?』

『...This mana feels demon-ish somehow...』

Ruli who got close after I told them that, murmured her impression once she saw the magic item.
She's correct, this mana comes from a demon.

『Yea. A demon made this trap no doubt... If you push the button inside this hole, 『Passive Detection』 will activate after a bit of time has passed.』

I point at the hole where the magic item was.

There's a small button inside, a magic circle is engraved on its surface.
Judging from the magic item's configuration, the 『Passive Detection』 probably gets activated about only 10 minutes after the button is pressed.

『...Why would they go out of their way to make such a mechanism? Wouldn't it be quicker to just activate the magic item by putting mana into it rather than making this button?』

『That applies to the one who creates this magic item sure. This magic item has been kindly designed so anyone with a stick or something could set up the trap by poking the button... This also means the dollmaster is almost definitely a sacrificial pawn.』

I put the magic item into Storage magic.
Looking at this, the dollmaster probably doesn't know have much info with them if at all.







Previous Chapter

Death March kara Hajimaru Isekai Kyousoukyoku 16-69

16-69. Saga Empire, Battle at the Imperial Capital (2)

 

※This is not from Satou's point of view as well

"--Err?"

The elder sister (Lulu) tilted her head in confusion at her little sister (Arisa) who pointed her finger with a snap at the imperial capital while saying, "Go get 'em."

"Like. Zubabaan!"
"Zubabaan?"

Lulu still couldn't really follow, but then she inferred Arisa was talking about bombardment and began to act on it.

"Activating combat assistance functionality, expanded vision."
『YES MY LADY, ACTIVATE, SYNCHRONIZED SENSOR』

Voice of the Floating Fort support system replied to her order, Lulu's vision got synchronized with the Floating Fort's expanded vision.

"Aim, retina transfer."
『AYE AYE MA'AM, EXECUTE, RETINA TRANSFER』

A reticle inside the vision overlaps with the target.
Figure of the demon lord that's taken position on top of a spire at the imperial castle's wall showed up in the center display.

Behind it, massive dark clouds are covering the imperial capital.







"Your imperial majesty, the castle's barrier won't hold up much longer at this rate. We have to get [Heroes' Attendants] in the castle to summon the heroes here as quickly as possible."
"It cannot be helped. Have them use the Divine Gift Talisman."

The new emperor reluctantly gave his consent at the prime minister's word.

"That Hero Meiko, absent at a time like this..."
"Those fools at Parion Holy Land are beyond help!"

The new emperor took a glance at the selfish ministers only for an instant without saying anything in particular.

"""Oh great god Parion. We offer you our prayers and lifespan to grant us the summoning of heroes"""

Attendants of Hero Seigi, Hero Yuuki and Hero Fuu held up Talismans while praying to god to summon heroes.

Although not as rarely as the summoning of heroes from other worlds, this particular summoning is rarely ever performed.
The reason is because the talismans given by god Parion would shave off the heroes' attendants lifespan doing this.

"Attendant of Hero Seigi, Moryu, prays in reverence."
"Attendant of Hero Yuuki, Rafe, prays in reverence."
"Attendant of Hero Fuu, Zomu, prays in reverence."

Blue light magic circles manifested around the three attendants.

"""For a miracle that brings salvation to the world of men"""

Blue lights rise up from the magic circles as the attendants who recited the holy verses got dyed in blue color.

"May the Embodiment of Justice, Hero Seigi come to our aid."
"May the Embodiment of Hope, Hero Yuuki come to our aid."
"May the Embodiment of Benevolence, Hero Fuu come to our aid."

Right as the attendants finished the holy verses, torrents of overflowing mana swept over the audience hall and the heroes showed up from within the lights.
Apparently, even the god who forsook Parion Holy Land of prophecy lent her power to the heroes.

"Huh, what's happening?"
"Audience hall? Did Rapahel call for me?"
"Geh, enforced summon?"

Hero Seigi, Hero Yuuki, and Hero Fuu looked around in surprise.
Unlike the other two heroes, Hero Fuu is wearing a distasteful-looking robe with a hood covering his head.

"Listen well, heroes! Right now an unprecedented crisis has befallen upon Saga Empire."

The emperor stood up from his throne, and swung the scepter connected to City Core to display the scene outside the castle.

"Is that, this castle?"
"Something's latching on it? What's that big thing?"

Hero Seigi and Hero Yuuki muttered.
Apparently, they cannot use their divine gift Appraisal skill through a display, they have no idea that it's showing a demon lord.

"That's a demon lord."
"D-demon lord?"
"Another one, aren't there way too many demon lords in this other world?!"

At the emperor's word, Hero Seigi and Hero Yuuki sounded surprised and amazed.
Hero Fuu who's been looking down since the beginning is chewing his nails while restlessly surveying the surroundings like some suspicious person.

"--Oh crap oh crap oh crap, this is bad. Why'd the Vampire General who should have been leading Vampire Knights turned into a demon lord. It doesn't make any sense. It's gotten out of my control too, and I can't call for help since the connection to Ramiko-san at the base got cut off... Oh crap, it's a dead end. Damn, damn, damn..."

His muttering never turned into sounds, and no one in the audience hall where the crisis of demon lord was looming paid any heed to Hero Fuu's strange demeanor.






At the same time, on the outskirts of Saga Empire--.

"Aiming complete. Fix."
『YES MY LADY. DIMENSION PILE, STAND BY』

The invisible dimensional pile fastened its long heavy main armament in the air along with the Floating Fort itself.

"Deploy Virtual Barrel."
『OK, VIRTUAL BARREL, SPREAD』

A 20 meter long gun barrel made of artificial substance created by force magic expands out of the main armament.

"Mana Overcharged Holy Shell, load."
『LOAD, AMMO』

With a loud thunk sound, a holy shell that has been overcharged with mana by Satou got loaded into the main armament.

"Accelerated magic circle, limit liftoff."
『AYE AYE MA'AM, BATTERY, FULL CHARGE』

The sacred tree stone furnace in the main floating fort fills the main armament with an enormous amount of mana.

『ACCELERATION, OVER DRIVE』

When it's done charging, a red light magic circle spreads out, parallel to the virtual gun barrel.

"Preparations complete! Arisa?"
"Get 'em!"

At Lulu who checked for the final confirmation, Arisa swung her arm down.

"Launch off!"
『IGNITION!』

As Lulu pulled the trigger, a flash of light dyed the surrounding in white, a light ball shining blue blasted into the head of demon lord that was sitting on top of the castle while leaving a beam-like trail behind.



That blue light ray made the atmosphere vibrate, burning brilliant blue lights under the dark clouds into the people's eyes.
Even the people who were scrambling to escape stopped in their tracks, some stopped the people next to them who were holding their arm, and looked up at the sky.

--VWZ.

When the demon lord sensed a danger, the holy shell had already blown its head away, vanishing into the capital's sky.

The holy shell didn't stop at just obliterating the demon lord's head, the shockwaves generated from it also blew away the dark clouds behind the demon lord, allowing sunlights to peek into the imperial capital.
Even the dark clouds that didn't get hit directly by the shockwave are moving away as if getting pushed aside by the sunlights.

--VZS.
--GWUGYZAAA.
--VZWS.

Blood Stalkers and Vampire Slaves that were bathed in sunlights instantly turned into ashes, while Vampires and Vampire Knights scampered off into shadows as their body were getting burned by the sunlights.

Bats and wolves familiars that were split from the demon lord's body turned into splashes of dark red blood the moment the demon lord's head went poof.

<TLN: If you're reading this novel at any other site than Sousetsuka .com you might be reading an unedited, uncorrected version of the novel.>

"Hit."

Mia who had dispatched Sylph to scout ahead again reported the collision.

"Yeay. How much damage did it make?"
"It has lost its head, I think that might have killed it."

Lulu replied to Hikaru who clapped her hands in elation.

"That was awesome. One-shotting a demon lord from somewhere far out view."
"Lulu is the world's best sniper, so I announce."
"Nn, good girl."
"Looks like we won't have our turn here."

All the girls besides Arisa praised Lulu who was unsure herself.

"What's wrong, Arisa-cchi?"
"U,uuun, it's nothing. I'd expect no less from my Onee-sama! Awe-Lulu!"

Arisa who got asked by Hikaru gave her thumb up to Lulu even while looking slightly restless.
Arisa's objective was actually for Lulu to blow away the dark clouds above the capital's sky, exterminating the weaker undeads and crippling the demon lord.

Arisa muttered, "All's well that ends well", while wiping off her nonexistent sweat.

Besides--.

『Pochi here nanodesu. The demon lord person's head turned into a goat's nanodesu!』
『Tama here~? After the blue faced person went aplomp, soldeers-san got weird~?』

Pochi and Tama reported on the revival of the demon lord and the remaining vampires' scheme.
As an addition for the sake of Tama's honor, the vampire that bit the soldier Tama witnessed had been previously defeated.

"So it really went and regenerated itself eh~"
"Demon lords are more tenacious than G, so Master said." <TLN: G=Gokiburi, roaches.>

Arisa reacted to something else next to Hikaru and Nana who lamented over the demon lord's revival.

"What's the meaning of this? The vampires in this world can only increase their numbers through ritual right?"
"Undead."

Mia gave the answer to Arisa's question in one word.

"What do you mean?"
"Maybe they turned the soldiers into undead with Soul Magic after killing them?"
"Ah, I see..."

Hikaru gave an explanation on Mia's word.

"Arisa, we should move out too, so I suggest."
"You're right. Everyone, grab on the Floating Fort."

While saying that, Arisa got onto the seat behind the Floating Fort's cockpit where Lulu resided.
Liza, Nana and Hikaru grabbed on handles situated on the Floating Fort's sides, and put their feet on the assist step.
Mia alone summoned Garuda and made it carry her on its arms.

『Tama, you know where the vampires are right?』
『Aye』
『Exterminate them』
『Aye aye sir~』

While traveling on the Floating Fort, Liza gave an order to Tama through space magic.

Almost at the same time, spectacles of vampires weakened by the sunlights getting killed off by ninjas that popped out of shadows, and of vampire knights getting chased off by multiple cat ninjas were witnessed in various locations at the capital.







"The demon lord's head got blown off?"
"What was that attack!"
"Was it a ritual magic performed by the imperial court mage division?"
"Not possible. The commander and vice commander of the court mage division are still missing--"
"It's dragons! That absurd amount of force could only come from the species that walks on the path of destruction, it must be a heavenly dragon's attack!"
"No, could it be a magic cannon used by Furu Empire at the climax of great war?"
"Nonsense! Where could such a weapon get deployed from?"

A crucible of confusion descended in the imperial castle's audience hall after they witnessed Lulu's shot blowing away the demon lord's head.
None of them appears to be aware that the attack that had bewildered them so much came not from a dragon nor a hero, but an attendant of a hero.

"Your imperial majesty, perhaps that was Shiga Kingdom's Hero Nanashi's doing?"
"That can't be... Are you telling me that was a feat done by the hands of man? Even the magic cannon of ancient Lalakie civilization didn't hold that much power, did it?"
"However, it is said that Hero Nanashi even managed to eradicate the 『Golden Wild Boar King』 and the 『Dog-head Ancient King』 that were beyond men's powers."
"Father told me that Shiga Kingdom falsified that though?"

The new emperor and the prime minister exchanged words in whispers.

The [Immovable Sword] hanging in the previous emperor's bedroom flashed on the new emperor's mind. From his perspective, Hero Nanashi is someone that excels in assassinations, an insolent criminal that's hero in name only.

Hero Fuu got away from the people who were in uproar as they argued with each others.

"Fuu-han, Fuu-han--"

Someone with a peculiar accent talked to Hero Fuu who kept looking down.







※ Next update is planned for 10/28.





Previous Chapter

Okami wa Nemuranai 2.10

10



There was no problem in the night of second day.

And on the third day.

The wagon's door that had been closed was opened by Chaney once again.

"Lecan-san. It's all thanks to you that we managed to come this far. I had to get back by tomorrow no matter what, but at the rate we're going, we should arrive this evening. You are my lifesaver. I will never forget this."

"We're not there yet."

"Yes. We'll be in your care till the end."

"I hafta say my thanks too. Yer' truly one remarkable adventurer."

For some reason, Eda looked triumphant behind Lecan.

The wagon continued down a mountain path for a while.

Lecan suddenly halted.

"What's the matter, Lecan-san."

"There's four men 800 steps ahead. Two of them are probably hiding on each sides of the road."

"How'd you know that... no, that was foolish of me to ask. What you're saying must be true. So, what should we do."

"Keep going 500 steps forward. Then make a stop. I will confirm their movement. Do not move until I tell you so. If you deem that it's getting dangerous, get back away."

"Understood. Eifun-san, please do as told."

"...Ho ho. Yale (got it). But really, that's some terrifyin' detection ability ya got there."

"Is it bandits? I'll show 'em what I've got this time."

"Eda. You've only got three arrows left."

"Uu. I'll let you have one."

"Can't you use magic?"

"Huuh magic? Like I could use those stuff! Don't make fun of me!"

"Fumu? You go protect the wagon. Keep an eye out in the back."

"I-I got it."

After the wagon went 500 steps forward, the other party didn't make a move.

The wagon stopped, and Lecan went ahead by himself.

They're inside <3D Perception> range. Two are holding bows at the ready, the other two have drawn swords in their hands. The four of them are hiding skilfully behind trees and bushes, erasing their presence well. If you could assign ranks on ambushing, these fours would be around advanced level.

Lecan stopped his legs. The enemy is only several steps ahead of him.

These hiding men aren't attacking Lecan.

Which means, they won't attack anyone who just happens to pass by.

And yet, if they hid themselves after noticing Chaney's wagon, they did so far too quickly.

They must have had prior knowledge that Chaney's wagon was going to pass through this path and thus, they lay in wait here.

And these assailants are no bandits. At the very least, they are not just some penniless ruffians.

Lecan knows from experience. These assailants have had proper training.

Training like that of soldiers'.

Lecan has grasped all he needed to know. Now he's free to kill them.

He jumped into the bush on the right while drawing his sword out, and cut off the right arm of a man who had his sword at ready.

Afterward, he leaped five steps forward, cut off the right foot of a man with bow on top of a tree, landed as bent over, and rushed into the opposite bush in low position.

While hearing the crashing and screaming sounds from the bush where he had left behind, he ran up a tree, jumped high, and cut off the head of another man with bow.

Lecan soared in the sky above trees using the momentum.

As he looked below at the last opponent, the man put something on his right hand and raised the hand toward Lecan.

Lecan immediately invoked <Mana Detection>. A hit. It's a magic item.

"Wind!"

A gust of wind blew the man's left hand from side.

A fireball flew off from the item the man had on his hand, passing by Lecan's left flank.

Lecan landed right in front of the man, lop his head off and jumped backward to avoid the blood spill. Without having to turn around, Lecan saw a huge tree falling behind him through <3D Perception>.

He approached the man and took the apparatus that shot out a fireball.

It's shaped weirdly unlike anything he's seen before. He put the apparatus into his <Storage> and checked out the place where the fireball landed.

Thick trunk of a huge tree has vanished.

What fearsome firepower. Comparing it to the magic in his former world, this has as much power as the <White Fireball>. Even Lecan might have died from this if he got hit without his Overking Bear coat on.

Some of the trunk and leaves are burning slightly, but due to the morning dew, the flame is already disappearing fast. It likely won't turn into forest fire.

The wagon is coming closer. He hadn't told them to though.

"Le-Lecan-san. What just happened 'ere. I saw somethin' like a fireball flew off."

"There was a mage among the enemy rank. Chaney."
<TLN: If you're reading this novel at any other site than Sousetsuka .com you might be reading an unedited, uncorrected version of the novel.>
"Yale (yes)?"

"One of these four is still alive though wounded. If you want to use him for testimony, I can tie the man and stop his bleeding."

"Humm, what should I do."

"Naw, Chaney-san, ain't we in a hurry. I'd love to make 'im cough up the bandit's hideout location sure, but we coulda just ask the lord to dispatch soldiers here no. We gotta hurry up ahead rite' now."

"That's right. Let's do that."

"All four of these men have adventurer badges on their necks. Copper colored."

"What! Then we have to fetch those badges and deliver it to the association. I can't believe these adventurers would turn to crime."

"Err, Eda-san. They probably either got those from dead adventurers or stole those somewhere."

"Eh?"

I see. There is no guarantee that an adventurer badge truly belongs to a person in question. Wonder what is the point of these adventurer badges then.

"We done here rite'. Very well! Let's get goin'."

The wagon got on a plain road before long.

They could faintly see a town far ahead.

"That's the town of Vouka. We finally got here. Huh? Eifun-san. We're going off the road, you know?"

"Well. I kinda felt thirsty all of a sudden after seeing the town y'see. I'd like to wash my hands and feet and get some water on the river o'er yonder."

"Ah, I see. Cleansing yourself before entering the town, is it. That's a good idea."

Lecan joined the wagon too.

The wagon stopped by the river's bank, Eifun got down the coachman's seat.

"Now now help yerself, everyone."

"Oh me me, I'm dying for water. This is nice."

"Hohohohoho. Oh? Chaney-san. Yer' not getting off."

As Eifun goaded Lecan and Eda toward the river, he turned around.

"Humm. I'm going to excuse myself here. I don't want to let this bag off my hands even for an instant right now."

"Ho ho. No helpin' it then. <Sleep (Sperl)>!"

Lecan and Eda immediately crumbled down.

"Eh? What did you?"

"I made 'em fall asleep. These two adventurers y'see."

"Eifun-san, so you were a mage."

"Ho ho. Clueless, ain't ya? Been hidin' it 'fter all."

Eifun took out something from his breast pocket. It's the same weapon that shot out fireball the assailant earlier used.

And Chaney seems to have an idea what kind of firepower that weapon possesses, he's looking at the weapon in shock while turning pale.

"W-where did you get something like that."

"From a certain place."

"But why would you pose as a coachman. You could have earned much more as a mage."

"Oh I do earn much."

"Who's paying you all that money."

"Ho ho. My real employer did."

"Did your real employer instruct you to kill me?"

"Wasn't actually told to kill ya. I was just told not to let that brown bag get to the town."

"So you've been deceiving me these past five years."

"Ho ho. It has been that long eh. I was actually raised in Kogurus y'see."

"Kogurus. So you weren't from Boyd. Kogurus is where Zaikaz headquarters are located, don't tell me, Eifun-san."

"Not Eifun, my real name's Marakis."

"M-Marakis the Coldblooded. But he should have been executed already."

"Hohoho. Still, this 'fter I went all the trouble of drugging the escort and hired the missy and the wolfman. The missy's just as useless as I expected, but I was way off base on the wolfman. How'd the guy be so considerate with that brutal face of his. Who woulda thought he'd actually protect his client nary a scratch and without stealin' anything. On the contrary, he even went and dealt with the four pros I set up in advance as a backup. Thanks to 'im, now I gotta take care of this myself. Went the roundabout way so I'd be fine even if they put me through <Bell of Truth>, but guess ya can't have everythin' yer' way."

"So those four were really not adventurers. Were they your subordinates?"

"Not exactly subordinates. But I did give 'em orders this time."

"Back when I was tasked with the repair of the lord mansion's bulwark, the specification document and quote were stolen by someone. That was your doing wasn't it."

"Hohoho. I sure did eh. Now that's some good memories. Well then, 'bout time for you to die."

"Please tell me one thing before you kill me. Is your employer, Zack Zaikaz?"

"That's right."

"It's fine now, Lecan-san."

Right when Chaney said 'it's fine', Marakis's right arm where the weapon was on got cut off by Lecan's sword.

Marakis turned around while gripping his right arm with his left, and looked up at Lecan in disbelief.

"B-but how. I used <Sleep> spell on ya."

The effect of <Sleep> spell was instantly dispelled then, but Lecan had no intention to inform him that.

Boasting as you disclose your secret is not only unsightly, but also dangerous. He just bore witness to one such demonstration.

There is no way he would reveal it.

Lecan wordlessly plunged his sword's hilt into Marakis's neck.








Previous Chapter

Shikkaku Mon no Saikyou Kenja Chapter 216


Chapter 216 Strongest Sage, Had Inaccurate Rumors Spread

 




An hour later.
Us three went to meet my father, Castor, in Baron Relaia's pavilion.

"Mathi, long time no see!"

"It's been so long, Mathi! You coming back as a Baron sure was a surprise. Would it be better if I add honorifics to call you?"

"Eh no need for that. This noble stuff is just temporary anyway."

I exchanged such conversation with my father Castor whom I hadn't seen in a while.
The two of them seem to be doing well.

"Not only you became a noble, you even got yourselves three girls..."

My brother Reich said so as he looked at the girls.
It's as if he's alluding these three to be my lovers or something.

"There's no getting or the likes... These three are my party members."

"Really?"

"Yeah. We formed a party at the Second Academy and this was the result."

"...I see."

Ruli looked disappointed when I said party members... I must be imagining things.
Oh right, wonder what's the news on my hometown.

"That aside, how's it going at Hildesheimr recently? Biffgel seemed to be same as always at least..."

"It's been pretty peaceful with nothing truly eventful occurring. The only worrying element was Biffgel, but since I've been formally accepted as the heir now, there's really nothing to worry about."

I see.
This means there is no chance at all for Biffgel to become the territory lord.
It must have been the best of news for the populace there.

"And back at you Mathi, you have been doing great, right. Rumors about you even spread in the backwaters we're in."

"...What kind of rumors?"

"Like how you defeated a demon by yourself, and how you turned Second Royal Academy's curriculum upside down... And the latest rumor said you killed a huge darkness dragon that showed up at the capital."

...Looks like the commotions at the capital have reached even my brother.
Well I figure changing the curriculum of a royal academy would become rumors.
There's one wrong rumor in it though.

『That darkness dragon that showed up at the capital refers to me right? But I haven't been killed...』

『These rumors seem quite inaccurate...』

This darkness dragon is probably referring to Iris.
Which means, forget killed, she's right in front of my brother now...
I cut to the chase while thinking that.

"So, the reason I come here today... Have you heard about the details?"

"Yeah. The four of you gonna infiltrate the empire and beat the dollmaster right? ...You got any lead on this dollmaster's location?"

"We'll be working on it, but I don't think finding them will be too hard once we get in. No matter what, you'd stand out controlling that amount of dolls."

Even if the dolls can move automatically, they still need to be given orders when they get dispatched.
Once we're inside the empire, finding the location where that takes place won't be hard.
We wouldn't have needed to infiltrate were the dollmaster went along with the dolls though.

"...Regardless of how strong you are, you will still be sneaking into the empire. Be sure to pay attention to your surroundings."

"Yeah. Our opponents include demons after all."
<TLN: If you're reading this novel at any other site than Sousetsuka .com you might be reading an unedited, uncorrected version of the novel.>
I've got a feeling that the dollmaster isn't a demon though.

Judging from the dolls' scale and movement, the group that collects life forces for these dolls doesn't seem to care much about the attack on Relaia Barondom.
The demons probably ordered some sacrificial pawn humans to asses the usefulness of life forces or something along the lines.

...We'd have it easy if the demons show themselves up around the group though. Then we simply need to defeat them.

"Even if you're gonna be fine Mathias, how about these three? I've heard that this year's Second Academy students are pretty strong, but you need a different kind of skillet to perform infiltrations, you know?"

Reich's worry is justified.
After all, these girls look like ordinary girls if we're only talking about their outward appearances.

In reality, these three are stronger than Castor, and Iris herself is immeasurably sturdier than any human.

"We'll be fine! We've fought demons before, and we have some experiences doing infiltrations!"

"About a week ago, we sneaked into a town with 20 demons hiding inside and exterminated every last one of them!"

"We only lent a bit of hand though, Mathi-kun took care most of the demons himself."

Hearing the girls, Reich and Castor looked surprised.

"...I thought they'd be strong when I heard they're Mathia's party members... but not to this point..."

"Don't tell me, are all Second Academy's students this strong nowadays? I can see why they're calling Second Academy students this year monstrous."

"No, these three in my party are especially strong compared to other Second Academy's students. Ordinary Second Academy's students need to work together in a group of dozens or so to beat one lesser demon."

If those students were as strong as Ruli and Alma, they would have defeated the demon back then before we got there.

That said, these students have only started their training in chantless magic, I won't be surprised if they're even stronger than current Ruli and Alma by the time they're graduating.
...By then, Ruli and Alma will be even stronger though.

"Dozens, defeating a demon... That's quite fearsome already..."

"A few years ago, the kingdom knights managed to defeat a demon, but they only barely accomplished that after bringing around 500 adventurers and elite knights together. The opponent was apparently the weakest ranking demon, yet our side lost around 100 lives. I didn't take part in it due to a certain circumstances on my side though."

500 knights managed to defeat a demon huh... That's actually amazing.

Their weapons would be those low performance magic swords created with chant magic, and their magic itself would be the weak and hard to use chant magic.
Under such conditions, I don't think even an army of 10,000 could defeat a demon.

"How exactly did they pull it off?"

"All members shot magic on it, the rest was an all-out war. I don't quite understand just how they managed to do it even now... Apparently, an awfully strong adventurer from a foreign country who had gone out of his way to join the subjugation unit landed the finishing strike on the demon."

"An adventurer from a foreign country?"

An awfully strong adventurer.
...And the guy went out of his way to join a subjugation mission in another country.

...I probably know the guy.

"Yeah. The name was... Girusomething fellow. Thanks to him going home without even joining the celebration party, there was a bit of uproar."

It's Giruas...

He didn't join the party probably because he simply had no interest in it.
Once there's no more battle to be had, he's done, that's probably it.

"But I think Mathi is even stronger than that Girusomething chap."

"That's for sure. I mean, Mathi beat all these demons by himself after all."

Reich agreed with Castor.
It's certainly true that I am stronger than Giruas.
We even had a match to prove that.

My father Castor suddenly paused.
Afterward, he speaks again after pondering a bit.

"...Mathias, you're strong. Hence, I won't stop you sneaking into the empire... but make sure you come back alive, every one of you. Don't ever let your guard down."

"I promise."

Thus our reunion ended.

Next we just need to infiltrate the empire and defeat the dollmaster, then the demons behind the dollmaster.
...Since these demons appear to have connections with the empire itself, this sure is going to be quite a big job... Here's hoping there will be a surprising development.

If there were only one weakling demon after this much uproars, I'm gonna be disappointed.







Previous Chapter

Okami wa Nemuranai 2.8_9

8



Since the open fire was getting weaker, Lecan got up and put more firewood in.

Eda is sleeping while skilfully leaning on a tree. She just went and fixed her posture.

A new problem has arisen.

No magic beast comes close thanks to the Monster Ward. But a large number of them have bunched up together around the perimeter of the Ward.

Lecan's former world had magic that could ward off magic beasts too, and if this magic was set up too strong, there were cases where magic beasts ended up being lured in around the perimeter of the magic range. This situation is similar to that phenomenon.

Morning of the second day, Chaney and Eifun woke up. Lecan reported them about the gathering of magic beasts and its possible cause.

"This many magic beasts, precisely how many there are?"

"Around 200."

"Eeeeh."

"Is that fer' real. Then we cannae' afford to turn off the ward."

"That's true. This will cost me quite a lot of magic gems, but let's keep going with the Monster Ward on. Haha, I did hear before that putting powerful magic gems in the ward would have the opposite effect of gathering magic beasts, but back then I put in some strong one in a spur of the moment, truly careless of me."

"And then what will you do."

"What do you mean, Lecan-san."

"If we keep going with the Monster Ward on, these magic beasts will follow after us. Once we arrive at the town, they'll attack the town."

"Ah..."

"I cannae' imagine what kinda punishment await those who bring magic beasts to town with 'em."

"What... should we do."

"For now, let's move out with the ward on. I have a plan once we get to a plain."

"I understand. Then let's be on our way."

"Missy, it's mornin' already. We're gonna leave ya behind if ya don't get up. Come now, missy."

"U-U~n. Morning huh? Wheres' breakfast?"

"Let's take it while moving. We're leaving."

While running ahead of the wagon like yesterday, Lecan chewed on jerky, chewed on dried beans and drank water.

The wagon got to a plain before long. And then, magic beasts that have been following them about 500 steps away are clearly visible now.

"Ain't that a lot less than 200 no?"

"It seems half of the magic beasts weren't keen on leaving the mountain."

"But it's still a lot. I think it's around 100?"

"T-this is impossible! Even with ten adventurers, this is absolutely impossible. I once heard Vouka had a garrison. Let's ask 'em to deal with these."

"Villages along the way would be devastated then. Besides, I am not sure our supply of magic gems is enough to last the journey. Lecan-san. What do you suppose we do here."

There's a lot of magic beasts whose specific name Lecan doesn't know, but none possesses a large mana pool. Beasts that resemble wolves, boars, apes, bears, every one of them is of the lowest rank of magic beast.

If this were inside a forest, fighting the lot of them could still prove threatening even if they were individually weak.

To top it off, he would need to protect the client, complicating the battle even further.

However, this place is a plain. In this situation, he can afford to temporarily leave the client.

On top of that, his foes aren't going anywhere.

"Fumu. Keep the Monster Ward on. I'm off for a bit."

Lecan dashed toward a herd of boar magic beasts.

He got there instantly.

He pulled out his sword. And began to cut up everything.

Every one of these beasts has insignificant amount of mana, but there's no telling what kind of attack methods they have in store. Which means, those who make the first strike win. Exterminate every last one of them without giving any chance to attack.

After killing everything without leaving even one alive and taking a glance at the heaps of dead bodies, Lecan ran back to the wagon.

"You should turn off the Monster Ward. Let's move."

"You barely got any blood splat on ya. Cor blimey."

"I had never seen such fearsome swordsmanship in my life before."

"...Lecan. No, Lecan-san. Were you a famous mercenary with an epithet all along?"

Lecan passed by Eda when he was returning to his position in front of the wagon, and that was when Eda's eyes caught a shining silver ring on his left middle finger.

"Hold on, did you always have that stylish ring on you?"

That ring was something he took from <Storage> and put on when they got into the forest on the first day.

However, Lecan is under no obligation to explain that.

"Yeah."

<TLN: If you're reading this novel at any other site than Sousetsuka .com you might be reading an unedited, uncorrected version of the novel.>

9



The party arrived at a small village at noon of the second day, but they only replenished water and took a short break before departing again. Eda was walking unsteadily with unfocused eyes, when asked why, she said she was hungry. No choice, Lecan shared his jerky. By the way, Eda got on the wagon in the end. Chaney allowed it.

When the sun was about to set on the second day, Lecan sensed magic beasts approaching while they were traveling in a mountain.

"Lecan-san. Is something the matter?"

"It's magic beasts. 18. They're coming here from the front. Stop the wagon. I'll go meet them."

"Understood. Eifun-san! Please stop the wagon."

"I-is it enemy? Where."

The party waited for the enemy without making a sound. Eda has her arrow on her bow as she looks at the dim forest in front of her restlessly, while still on board the wagon.

Trees are making noises.

"Above."

Lecan spoke. <Life Detection> cannot distinguish elevations, thus he didn't know the enemy's altitude until they got close enough.

A great number of magic beasts came pouring down.

"Uwaa, uwaa"

Eda kept shooting her arrows while screaming out, but none even grazed a magic beast.

Eifun the coachman closely watches the magic beasts' movement as he evades and blocks their attacks.

It's magic beasts that resemble apes.

They're as big as a 10-year old kid, covered in black fur with red faces.

They look to be quite agile.

Lecan calmly butchered the magic beasts.

These magic beasts were moving slightly erratically, but before Lecan's kinetic vision and attack speed, they just appear sluggish.

The client, Chaney has hidden himself inside the wagon and closed the window, so he's safe. These aren't the type of enemy that could destroy the wagon in a single strike, and he's not giving them any chance to make an attempt in the first place.

Eda proved to be more dangerous than the apes. Two arrows were flying toward Lecan. He was irritated by the second arrow, and cut it down mid-air.

An ape that was going to jump out and bite Eifun Lecan slew was the last one.

Eda was shouting, 'ow ouch, it hurts'. She probably got bit or scratched by the apes. He can't be bothered enough to look after that far though.

"I-Is it over? Ah, the wagon's covered in blood. But right now time is more valuable. Let us go."

"Ah, Chaney-san. Wait a moment. I've gotta go grab my arrows back!"

One mystery was solved when Lecan heard Eda. He was puzzling over where she put her spare arrows. But Eda never had spare arrows with her.

"Eifun-san, please depart."

"Hohoho."

Chaney paid no mind to Eda's begging and ordered the wagon to depart. Eda retrieved some arrows within her reach in a fluster and went after the wagon. By the way among 12 arrows that Eda carried, exactly zero managed to hit the ape magic beasts.

At the camp in mountain on the third day.

Suddenly, Eda shouted out loud.

"Magic Gems!"

"What about magic gems."

"We beat those Red Apes (Urudou) and didn't take their magic gems!"

This would mean those beasts were Red Apes.

Lecan heard that these are the most plentiful magic beasts in forests and dungeons. He's killed several of these beasts so far, but he never made the connection between their name and figure.

Still, what is Eda saying now. Did she not hear Chaney saying, "Time is more valuable", earlier.

"And it was such a fortune!"

Leaving aside the question whether Eda is even qualified for a portion, those Red Apes' magic gems aren't worth the effort to fetch them. If you're that desperate, around 80 magic beasts Lecan defeated at noon would have more valuable magic gems within them. Though Chaney had asked village elder of the village they stopped by at noon to fetch half of magic gems and materials from those magic beasts to him while relinquishing the other half to the village, therefore it won't go to waste nor spread disease from decomposing bodies.

"C'mon, won't ya reconsider going back now?"

Since Eda is getting noisy, Lecan steers the conversation elsewhere.

"Eda. That yellow muffler on your neck, stands out."

"Eh? Ah. It's cute isn't it. Hehe."

"It's very visible even in dark places."

"Oh, really now. Thankies."

"Makes for a good mark for magic beasts to target on."

"Eh?"

"Adventurers do not put such a gaudy muffler on."

"...Uwawawawawa! What the heeck. You shoulda tell me sooner then! Uwaa. So that's why they were so persistent comin' for me. Uwaa, uwaa. It's making me aching all over just remembering it. Dangit. Dangit!"

While thinking that this girl still made a lot of noise in the end, Lecan recalled that there was one such adventurer with flashy attires.

It's a female adventurer called <Bloodstained> Rancy. With burning-like red hair, she put on a blood-like red leather armor. With glittering rubies on both her hands. She truly was a flashy woman. Cutting up magic beasts she attracted in with her great sword, she always bathed in her victim's blood. As she was also a frighteningly beautiful woman, many men were also drawn to her. And every one of those men had their hearts broken apart.

Lecan suddenly felt a sense of longing for his former world.

He looks up above, there's only stars there, no moon. That big bright moon does not exist in this world.

He couldn't help but longed for it.








Previous Chapter

Shikkaku Mon no Saikyou Kenja Chapter 215

Chapter 215 Strongest Sage, Dodges Party

 

"By 'us' here... You mean Mathias, Iris, Ruli and Alma, the four of you?"

"Exactly."

Hearing my answer, Viscount Regido pondered for a bit.
And then he speaks.

"...And do you think that's for the best, Mathias?"

"I do. The more people going the higher we risk the infiltration getting found out."

"Certainly, you want only a select few if you're going to infiltrate enemy's base... But aren't four too few to go up against that many dolls?"

"Those dolls only have numbers with them, so slipping through them is a simple matter. Besides, our target is only one, the doll master, there's no need for many personnels to defeat it."

These are dolls whom Biffgel managed to take four down, bring on 100, 1000 of them, it makes no difference.
Besides, all of those dolls will cease functioning once we defeat the dollmaster.

The knights would be a nice help in group battles, but they're only going to get in the way in an infiltration mission.
Even though these elite knights probably are also good at infiltrating, I'm sure their anti magic detection ability isn't up for the task.

And we're not so lacking in power to be in need of the knights covering for us.
...Might be a different story if they're as strong as Iris though.

Conversely, protecting Relaia Barondom from the dolls' assault is these knights' forte.
The job of knights is to protect lord's territory, their training revolves around it.
Leaving our back to Viscount Regido and his knights, while we're going infiltrating is a good plan.

"If that's what you believe Mathias, we're going with it. After all, you're obviously more experienced in fighting demons than me. In exchange, I shall accomplish what I am good at."

"Good at?"

"Yeah. Relaia Barondom has suffered some damage in this battle. There should be spots where they need assistance to defend as well, and it looks like the defense here hangs mostly on Castor's powers... It's my job to reassemble the territory and the army from such a situation."

I see, he's fulfilling his duty as a commanding officer of the knights.
The viscount is truly fit to take care of our back.
Looks like everyone will nicely get their role here.

"I understand. If you find anything that could be a clue along the way, please contact me."

"Very well... When do you plan to depart?"

"I can go tomorrow morning... The earlier the better as the enemy might run away if they notice us here."

That was my entire purpose coming here in the first place.
We don't need to be here for them to gather intelligence from the populace and local knights.

"...Understood. Then let's take care of things so you can depart tomorrow morning... Baron Relaia, are there things Mathias need to take care of before leaving the territory?"

"Considering Baron Mathias holds great powers, it might be a good idea for him to go meet the allied forces' commander-in-chief just in case."

"Allied forces' commander-in-chief... Is that not Baron Relaia?"

Other nobles in the surrounding area are participating in the defense of Relaia Barondom besides the baron himself.
Though the scale of these allied forces is small at only 150 people.

The highest ranked noble who's come to help is at most a baronet.
Nobles that are of the same rank and higher than Baron Relaia won't participate... Or rather, there's no high ranked nobles around this area, so there's no one that can come.

If nobles band up together to form allied forces, the highest ranked noble will act as the commander-in-chief, so I thought Baron Relaia is one, but...

"No, the allied forces' commander-in-chief is Baronet Castor. At first, I did take command but midway through I believed Baronet Castor was more fit for the role, thus I relinquished the position to him."

Looks like the commander-in-chief is my father Castor.
As expected of someone connected to the knights.

"...Good decision. Then Mathias, you should go see Baronet Castor."
<TLN: If you're reading this novel at any other site than Sousetsuka .com you might be reading an unedited, uncorrected version of the novel.>
"Yes."

Looks like our reunion will be with my father as the allied forces' commander-in-chief.

...But, wonder what kind of face should I make.
I'm in good terms with my father, but the problem here is our positions.

Even if it's temporary, my rank is higher than him in the nobility ladders.
Not sure on which mindset should I go see him.

Seeing me putting up a difficult expression, Ruli and the girls started talking through comm magic.

『Baronet Castor is Mathi-kun's father right? I never heard you talking about him at all... Do you two not get along?』

『If he's Mathi-kun's father, that means he's also Biffgel's father right... Maybe he's like Biffgel?』

...My father took quite an insult.
Well, I guess they can't help it after seeing that Biffgel.

『My family lineage are all normal except Biffgel. I mean, father's strength must have played a role for his fame among knights.』

I only understand now that my father is abnormally strong for a human in this era.
He's likely the strongest human who cannot use chantless magic I've ever met yet.

He even put a clear lead on numbers of defeated dolls against my brother Reich who had learned chantless magic, simple it may be.
You cannot win against chantless magic using a sword with half-baked strength.

『Normal... normal?』

『Can't you really call that normal.』

Ruli and Alma look at me, and then at the report.
In the report, while ordinary soldiers defeated one doll each, Castor and Reich managed 50 and 30 respectively.

I guess normal is not quite correct.
There's a chance that no other family of nobles is as strong as house of Hildesheimr if we're talking about raw strength.

While we were having that conversation, Viscount Regido and Baron Relaia had their own pertaining supply of goods for the army, defense network reorganization, steps for the future and stuff.
It's outside our expertise, so we're leaving that to these two.

And lastly, it's about tonight's schedule.

"Tonight, we plan to hold a party for all nobles who are participating, will Baron Mathias come too?"

...Apparently they're holding a party to introduce Viscount Regido.
As he's going to be the top commanding officer here from now on, the party also doubles as an announcement.

『Nobles' party... wonder if they're gonna serve good food there.』

『Unfortunately, you probably won't find anything extravagance. In the first place, they're having supply shortages, and they only knew about Viscount Regido's coming right before his arrival.』

Alma was looking forward to food, but I'm not sure there's going to be anything she wants.

Relaia barondom is situated in the boondocks, and they're in the middle of war, can't expect anything luxurious in this situation.
If they were notified of Viscount Regido's coming a week before, they might have been able to prepare a party that would meet Alma's expectations.

And more importantly...

『Nobles' party... that kinda sounds strict and annoying!』

Alma said so in my behalf. <TLN: Not sure if the author actually meant Iris here.>
Exactly correct. Nobles' parties are strict and annoying.

I haven't actually participated in one, but we had classes about etiquette for when we attended such a party at Second Academy.
The lesson itself was extremely boring, and it claimed the spot of 『The most disliked class at Second Academy』 in questionnaires.

It's not at all difficult compared to handling magic, but it's just annoying.
Furthermore, I'm on this weird spot as a temporary noble, so it's extra awkward for me.

...And the food isn't even good on top of all that, we'd be better off having a meal by ourselves.
I give my reply to Viscount Regido after thinking through that.

"If we attend the party then disappear the day after, some might find it unusual. It'd be better if we do not participate."

"Indeed, we should limit the number of people who know about your infiltration. I don't necessarily distrust other nobles, but the less people who know the less chance it gets leaked."

Looks like he got it.
Vicount Regido continues as I feel relieved.

"Besides, nobles' party is just a lot of trouble. If you don't need to come, you might as well not."

"Quite."

Baron Relaia nodded at Viscount Regido's assessment.
Is that really OK, hey party's sponsor and leading actor...

Well, since Viscount Regido is more a military man than a noble, he probably finds these parties annoying just like me.
After having these conversations, the meeting was closed.






Previous Chapter

www.CodeNirvana.in

Copyright © Sousetsuka | About | Contact | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer